Apparatus for treating refuse

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for treating refuse comprising a drum rotatable about an axis that is horizontal or slightly inclined to the horizontal and having an inlet at one end and an outlet at the other end, and means within the drum for effecting a pulverizing action upon refuse fed into the drum; the curved wall of the drum being frusto-conical at the inlet end so as to taper inwardly in the direction towards the inlet from the outlet, and there being, within the inlet end portion of the drum, baffles rotatable with the drum for receiving refuse fed into the drum through the inlet and for feeding this refuse, during rotation of the drum, in the direction towards the outlet of the drum.

I United States Patent [151 3,679,142

Gothard 1 July 25, 1972 541 APPARATUS FOR TREATING REFUSE 1,671,283 5/1928 Hall ..241/171 2,396,057 3/1946 Petersen ..241/17l X [721 lnvenmfi Sydney Averill 6mm, Jersey, Guernsey 2,708,570 5 1955 Manabe ..259 175 (Channel Is.) 73 A 2 vi k 1 d L d E 1 Primary Examiner-Granville Y. Custer, Jr. 1 sslgnee c e on and Attorney-Pennie, Edmonds, Morton, Taylor and Adams 221 Filed: July 15, 1970 57 A T [2]] Appl. No.: 55,051 ABSTR C Apparatus for treating refuse comprising a drum rotatable about an axis that is horizontal or slightly inclined to the Foreign Application Priority Data horizontal and having an inlet at one end and an outlet at the other end, and means within the drum for effecting a pulveriz July 15, 1969 Great Brltain ..35,670/69 s action p refuse fed into the drum; the curved wan of the drum being frusto-conical at the inlet end so as to taper in- [52] U.S. Cl ..241/18l, 241/183 wardly in the direction towards the inlet from the outlet, and [51] Ill. Cl ,.B02C 17/06 there being within the inlet end portion f the drum ff [58] held of Search "241/171, rotatable with the drum for receiving refuse fed into the drum 1/ 259/175 through the inlet and for feeding this refuse, during rotation of the drum, in the direction towards the outlet of the drum. [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS H w 7 Reed ..259/l75 7 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures APPARATUS FOR TREATING REFUSE This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for treating refuse and more particularly to improvements in such an apparatus including a rotatable drum as described and illustrated in British Pat. No. 1,128,805 corresponding to US. Pat. No. 3,405,873, issued Oct. 15, 1968, commonly owned with this application.

As described in this British patent, the main body of the drum is supported on rollers for rotation about an axis that is horizontal or slightly inclined to the horizontal, rotation being effected by two motors driving a gear ring on the drum. The drum has an inlet at one end and at this inlet end portion the curved or cylindrical wall of the drum there is imperforate. Intermediate the length of the drum there is a portion in which the drum is of reduced internal diameter and its wall is perforated, there being an outer shell, provided around this perforated portion, that is a continuation of the imperforate inlet end portion. The perforated portion is followed by a plain portion of substantially the same diameter as the perforated portion, this plain portion being open at its free end to form an outlet from the drum. The space between the perforated portion and the shell is open in the direction away from the inlet end of the drum.

Within the imperforate portion of the drum of the patent, there are eight flat vanes or blades oblique to the axis of the drum, the outer edges of the blades being elliptical to fit the drum and the inner edges being straight. The blades are spaced in pairs around the drum axis and the pairs are spaced apart in the axial direction. There are six similar and similarly arranged blades in the perforated portion, followed by three similar blades without axial spacing. These three blades are of greater radial depth than the first eight blades and both sets of blades leave a triangular space at the center of the drum crosssection clearuDuring rotation of the drum, the blades feed back toward the inlet refuse fed intothe drum, the refuse thus tending to remain within the drum until forced towards the outlet by further incoming refuse. The tumbling action imparted to the refuse within the drum tends to pulverize the refuse, material which is sufficiently pulverized passing out of the drum through the perforated portion of the cylindrical wall of the drum, into the annular space between this portion and the outer shell, from which space it is then discharged. Material that is not sufficiently pulverized to pass through the perforated portion is eventually forced over the vanes and out of the end outlet.

According to the present invention there is provided an apparatus for treating refuse comprising a drum rotatable about an axis that is horizontal or slightly inclined to the horizontal and having an inlet at one end, and means within the drum for effecting a pulverizing action upon refuse fed into the drum; the curved or cylindrical wall of the drum being frusto-conical at the inlet end so as to taper inwardly in the direction towards the inlet, and there being, within the inlet end portion of the drum, means rotatable with the drum for receiving refuse fed into the drum through the inlet and for feeding this refuse, during rotation of the drum, in the direction away from the inlet of the drum; said means rotatable with the drum comprising first, second and third baffles mounted in the drum for rotation therewith; the first baffle being inclined towards the inlet from an arc of connection with the curved or cylindrical wall of the drum and terminating short of the remaining portion of the wall of the drum whereby material fed into said inlet with the drum rotating is received by the first battle and fed thereby towards the second battle; the second baffle being disposed on the side of the first baffle remote from said inlet and diametrically opposed to the first baffle, being inclined towards the inlet from an arc of connection with the wall of the drum and terminating short of the remaining portion of the wall whereby said material fed thereto by the first baffle is received thereby and fed towards the third baffle; and the third baffle being disposed on the side of the second bafile remote from said inlet and diametrically opposed from the second baffle, this third baffle extending from an arc of connection with the wall of the drum substantially perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the drum and terminating short of the remaining portion of the wall such as to permit passage of material fed theretowards by the second baffle, the third bafile tending to prevent passage of material in the direction towards the inlet.

For a better understanding of the invention and to show how the same may be carried into effect reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional side view of an inlet end portion of a drum of an apparatus for treating refuse, and

FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken on the line II-II ofFlG. 1.

The drum, save for the inlet end portion shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, can be a drum as described in the above mentioned British Pat. No. 1,128,805 and referenced 10" in the drawings accompanying the patent. Accordingly the main body of the drum, and the components associated therewith, will not be described in detail here since the present improvements relate primarily to the inlet end portion of the drum. The inlet end portion of the curved or cylindrical wall I of the present drum, however, terminates in a frusto-conical portion so as to taper inwardly in the direction towards the inlet 2 from the outlet (not shown) of the drum. The wall 1 terminates, at the inlet end, in an inwardly directed annular lip 3. Within the inlet end portion of the drum there are three baffles, 4, 5 and 6, fixed to the curved wall 1 of the drum for rotation with the drum. The first baffle 4 inclines forwardly, from its arc of connection 7 with the wall 1, to terminate short of the remaining portion of the wall 1, the baffle 4 extending over more than half the cross-sectional area of the drum as viewed along the longitudinal axis of the drum and shown in FIG. 2. The baffle 4 can be flat but in the form shown the baffle is bent, as viewed from the side and shown in FIG. 1, so that the face thereof remote from the inlet 2 embraces an angle less than Also in the form shown the baffle 4 includes a segmental portion 8, so that the straight right and left portions of the free edge 9 of the baffle definean angle somewhat less than 180 as shown in FIG. 2.

The second baffle 5, which in the form shown is flat but may be bent similarly to the baffle 4, is disposed on the side of the baffle 4 remote from the inlet 2 and is diametrically opposed to and extends toward the baffle 4, the baffle 5 extending from its arc of connection 10 with the wall 1 to terminate short of the remaining portion of the wall 1 and the baffle 4 in a straight free edge 11. This edge 11 is disposed in a plane, perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the drum, that intersects the point of the arc of connection 7 most remote from the inlet 2.

The third bafile 6, which is also flat, is disposed on the side of the baffle 5 remote from the inlet 2 and is diametrically opposed to the baffle 5, the baffle 6 extending from its arc of connection 12 with the curved wall I, substantially perpendicularly of the longitudinal axis of the drum, to terminate short of the remaining portion of the curved wall 1 in a straight free edge 13. This edge 13 is disposed in a plane, perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the drum, that intersects the point of the arc of connection 10 most remote from the inlet 2.

As viewed along the longitudinal axis of the drum the first and second baffles 4 and 5, and the second and third baffles 5 and 6, overlap one another in the sense that they project from opposite sides of the drum.

Apparatus having the drum provided with an inlet end portion as described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawing is operated in a manner similar to the way in which the apparatus described in the British Pat. No. 1,128,805 is described, in that patent, as operating. The drum 1 of the present application is rotated in the direction indicated by arrow 14 in FIG. 2 and refuse is fed into the inlet 2 by any suitable equipment such as a belt conveyor, or by a grab crane or a mechanical shovel via a fixed chute so constructed as to fit into the inlet 2 and form a seal therewith. At

the same time water is injected at a measured and controlled rate into the inlet 2 with the refuse, so that intimate mixing commences to effect desired wetting and softening of fibrous materials. Rotation of the drum from the position in which it is shown in the accompanying drawings first brings the open section above the edge 9 of the baffle 4 to the bottom so allowing refuse in the receiving reservoir formed by the frusto-conical end portion of the drum to move forward under the impetus of the weight of refuse behind it. Continued rotation causes the leading segmental portion 8 to scoop up this refuse which, as the baffle 4 again reaches the illustrated position, slides down the rear face of the baffle to the toe thereof and under the free edge 11 of the next baffle 5. As the rotation continues the baffle scoops the refuse and passes it onwards to beyond the last baffle 6 so clearing space to receive a further batch of refuse taken-up by the baffle 4 on its next rotation. The third and last baffle 6 acts as a stop or weir serving to prevent refuse being forced back towards the inlet by the action of vanes of the type shown in said British patent, mounted further downstream in the drum.

It is to be noted that the disposition of the baffles 4, 5 and 6 is such that feeding from the inlet 2 towards the outlet-(not shown) of the drum occurs irrespective of the direction of rotation of the drum, this facility being of importance when the drum is reversed to empty the drum when no further refuse is being fed thereinto.

I claim:

1. In an apparatus for treating refuse including a drum having a curved or arcuate wall and rotatable about an axis that is horizontal or slightly inclined to the horizontal, an inlet at one end of the drum for receiving refuse to be processed in and advanced through the drum, and means within the inlet end portion of the drum and rotatable therewith for receiving refuse fed into the drum through the inlet and for feeding this refuse, during rotation of the drum, in the direction away from the inlet end of the drum, the improvement wherein said means within the inlet end portion of the drum comprises first, second and third baffles mounted in the drum for rotation therewith, the first baffle being inclined towards the inlet from an arc of connection with the curved wall of the drum and terminating short of the remaining portion of the curved wall of the drum whereby material fed into the drum while being rotated is received by the first baffle and fed thereby towards the second baffle, the second baffle being disposed on the side of the first bafile remote from said inlet and diametrically opposed to the first baffle, the second bafile being inclined towards the inlet from an arc of connection with the curved wall of the drum and terminating short of the remaining portion of the curved wall whereby said material fed thereto by the first baffle is received thereby and fed towards the third baffle, and wherein the third baffle is disposed on the side of the second baffle remote from said inlet and diametrically opposed to the second baffle, the third baffle extending from an arc of connection with the curved wall of the drum substantially perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the drum and terminating short of the remaining portion of the curved wall such as to permit passage of material fed theretowards by the second baffle, the third baffle tending to prevent passage of material through the drum in the direction towards the inlet of the drum.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first baffle is bent so that the face thereof remote from the inlet embraces an angle less than 3. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first baffle includes a segmental portion so that its free edge comprises two portions at an angle of less than 180 with respect to each other.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the free edge of said second baffle is disposed in a plane, perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the drum, that intersects the point of the first-mentioned arc of connection most remote from the inlet.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said second baffle is flat.

6. Apparatus according to clalm 1, wherein the free edge of said third baffle is disposed in a plane, perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the drum, that intersects the point of the second-mentioned arc of connection most remote from the inlet.

7. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, as viewed along the longitudinal axis of the drum, said first and second baffles, and said second and third baffles, overlap one another in the sense that they project from opposite sides of the drum. 

1. In an apparatus for treating refuse including a drum having a curved or arcuate wall and rotatable about an axis that is horizontal or slightly inclined to the horizontal, an inlet at one end of the drum for receiving refuse to be processed in and advanced through the drum, and means within the inlet end portion of the drum and rotatable therewith for receiving refuse fed into the drum through the inlet and for feeding this refuse, during rotation of the drum, in the direction away from the inlet end of the drum, the improvement wherein said means within the inlet end portion of the drum comprises first, second and third baffles mounted in the drum for rotation therewith, the first baffle being inclined towards the inlet from an arc of connection with the curved wall of the drum and terminating short of the remaining portion of the curved wall of the drum whereby material fed into the drum while being rotated is received by the first baffle and fed thereby towards the second baffle, the second baffle being disposed on the side of the first baffle remote from said inlet and diametrically opposed to the first baffle, the second baffle being inclined towards the inlet from an arc of connection with the curved wall of the drum and terminating short of the remaining portion of the curved wall whereby said material fed thereto by the first baffle is received thereby and fed towards the third baffle, and wherein the third baffle is disposed on the side of the second baffle remote from said inlet and diametrically opposed to the second baffle, the third baffle extending from an arc of connection with the curved wall of the drum substantially perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the drum and terminating short of the remaining portion of the curved wall such as to permit passage of material fed theretowards by the second baffle, the third baffle tending to prevent passage of material through the drum in the direction towards the inlet of the drum.
 2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first baffle is bent so that the face thereof remote from the inlet embraces an angle less than 180*.
 3. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first baffle includes a segmental portion so that its free edge comprises two portions at an angle of less than 180* with respect to each other.
 4. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the free edge of said second baffle is disposed in a plane, perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the drum, that intersects the point of the first-mentioned arc of connection most remote from the inlet.
 5. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said second baffle is flat.
 6. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the free edge of said third baffle is disposed in a plane, perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the drum, that intersects the point of the second-mentioned arc of connection most remote from the inlet.
 7. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, as viewed along the longitudinal axis of the drum, said first and second baffles, and said second and third baffles, overlap one another in the sense that they project from opposite sides of the drum. 